Incubator-alarm.



P. S. MARTIN.

I NCUBATOR ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, I913.

Paten ted Jan. 23, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET L 61 Her/"e1 P. S. MARTIN.

\NCUBATOR ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED Films. 1913.

1,21 3,798. Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

3 SHEETS SHE ET 2.

8 14 um xtoz '54 v 4 affo'anu P. S. MARTIN.

, lNCUBATOR ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25. 19l3.

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PERRY S. MABTINfOF BROADWAY, VIRGINIA.

rucunAroa-ALARia.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23,1917.

Application filed February 25, 1913.- Serial No. 750,690.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERRY S. MARTIN, citizen of the United States, residing at Broadway, in the county of Rockingham and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful ln'iprovements in Incubator- Alarms, of which the following is a specification. i

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in incubator alarms, and more particularly to the circuit closure for the same.

An object of the invention is to, provide a circuit closure which is controlled by the temperatureof the incubator, which circuit closure may 'lie readily adjustable for-balancing the moving parts and which circuit closure includes contact members capable of cooperating with a movable member for sounding an alarm when the temperature of the incubator reaches a predetermined low limit or PIEdQtGL'DIIDQCl high limit. A

In the drawings: Figure lis a detail perspective view of my improved thermostatically controlled circuit closer, a portion being broken away to more clearly show its construction and operation; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of thewiring used in connection with a gang of incubators each equipped with one of my circuit closers showing the manner in which a single signal may be employed with any number of incubators and also showing a switch by means of which the operator or attendant can determine whether the signal is caused by excessive heat or extreme cold; Fig. 3 1s a fragmentary perspective "iew of a conventional form of incubator, parts being broken away to show the positioning of my circuit closer within the incubator; Fig. 4- is a fragmentary sectional vie c an incubator, showing the employment of a circuit closer of a somewhat modified type; Fig. 5 1s a fragmentary elevation of a portion of the circuit closer mechanism as illustrated in Fig. l; Fig. 6

is a fragmentary sectional view of an incubator, showing the employment of a still further modified form of circuit closer and also showing, diagrammatically, the manner of wiring the alarm system when employed with a single incubator; Fig. is a sectional view of the circuit closer illustrated in Fig. 6, parts being. broken awayto ermit the showin of the same u on a somewhat enlarged scale; ig. 8 is a diagrammatic view,

showing how a system of two incubators I may be wired when employing the circuit closer of the types shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference character.

secured to the back of this base adjacent one end and its free endis directed forwardly to extend beneath and support a thermostat 12 of the double wafer type in a horizontal position, as shown, the thermostat being secured to said extended end of the bracket. The upper and lower wafers 13 and 14 of this thermostat move toward and'away from each other under the influence of cold and healt, respectively, and the lowermost of these wafers is secured to the bracket, While a needle 15 is secured to and extends up wardly from the upper wafer. A U-shaped bracket 16 is secured by one side to the'front of the base in such a manner that the needle projects through an opening 17 in its intermediate portion, the other side of this bracket extending upwardly in parallel spaced relation to the base 10.

An indicator 18, which also .forms the thermostatically movable member of the circuit closer, includes a substantially elliptical body portion stamped from sheet metaljto provide marginal flanges l9 perforated to receive a diametrically extending pivot pin 20, the ends of which seat in horizontally alined perforations formed in the opposite sides of the bracket 16. The blade or contact forming portion of the indicator cdisiists of an extremely flexible spring which is se- Q misses Directly above the needle .15 and immes between which the temperature in the incu diately in advance of the pivot the body bator should be maintained. lhese limits portion 18 of the indicator is reinforced and of course, however, may be altered to suit provided with a tapped bore for an adjustthe owner.- ing screw '22 having a milled head 23 at its Secured to that end of the base opposite upper end and provided in its lower end the bracket 16', are a plurality of binding with a conical socket to seat the point of posts33, 34 and The binding posts 33 the needle. The blade of the indicator 1s and 34 are electrically connected to the pivot provided intermediai'e its length with a pins and 31 of the contact arms 28 and counterweight, preferably in the formof a 29, respectively in any preferred manner as screw bolt 24 and. binding nuts 25, which by strips of e )per or other conducting maserves not only as a counterweight but also terial, shown in dotted lines at 36- and 37, as a means of attachment for a llcrd 26 car the ends of these strips being secured to rying a strip of celluloid or other non-conthe back of the base by the screws of the ducting material 27, the purpose of which binding posts themselves. 'In like manner will be later explained. the binding post is electrically connected lit will of course be apparent that the with the bracket 11 which is in turn eleccounterweight will keep the adjusting screw trically connected with "the bracket 16 by in engagement with the thermostat needle a bolt 38, the strip in this instance being and therefore that any expansion or con indicated by the humor-e139. As tlieiindi traction of the thermostat will raise or cator is are electric conductor and as it is lower the indicator; It will further be une uninsnlated from the bracket 16, this conderstood that by a suitable manipulation of nection in efilect forms an electrical conthe adjusting screw, the indicator may be nection between the binding post and the set'to exactly point to or extend over any resilient blade of the indicator. one of the divisions upon the scale 21. The An Lehaped bracket is secured to one scale preferably runs from 98 degrecsto end of the base, preferably by one of the I 167 degrees and the normal temperature at binding posts, as shown, and extends latexcourse lie at some intermediate point as for instance 103 degrees, 1 although diflcrent which the incubator is to be kept will of ally from the base in such a manner that it may be readily attached to one of the walls of an incubator as shown in Fig. 3 poultrymen differ as to the exact temperaoffthe drawings, in which ll indicates the ture best suited to the hatching of healthy ihcubator and d2 the eggs contained in the chickens. Q incubator tray. As clearly shown .in this In installing the circuit clser in theinfigure, the circuit closer is so positioned cnbator, the adjusting screw is turned to that the lowermost wafer 14 of the thermobring the indicator directly in. line with stat practically rests uponthe eggs and the that scale division which corresponds to the temperature at which the alarm. will be exact temperature within the incubator 'at given is therefore the temperature of the the time of adjustment and it will therefore eggs rather than the temperature in the be clearly seen thatany fnrtheradjustment upper portion of 'the egg chamber which ofthe indicator is entirely unnecessary as! may be several degrees higher." the indicator will, in connection with the aving thus described the circuit closer scale, at any time give absolutely the corproper of my alarm system, I will now dcrect temperature reading of the incubator. scribe the wiring and operation of the sys- Contact arms 28 and 29 are swingingly tern as a whole. In Fig. 2 of the drawings secured at one end to the base by screws or I have diagrammatically illustrated three other suitable fastening devices 30 andz3l, of my circuit" closers acting as a gang for respectively, and, the free ends of these arms three incubators, the circuits controlled by extend over the scale .21 as shown, having these circuit closers all passing through a laterally directed terminals 32 extending single switch and when energized 1i11gii1g one above and one belowlhe indicator blade a single bell. For the sake of clearness, and i position to b engaged by the blade in thedescription of the operation which is upon suilicient swingingof the indicator. to follow, I will designate these circuit These contact arms may be swung to bring I closers as A, B and G. Y their free ends over any desired divisions Secured either npon the bodies of the inof the scale and form, in connection with nbators themselves or upon a wall or'other the indicator, the contacts of the circuit suitable support adjacent each incubator, is closer. in use, the contact arm 28 is gener a base block 43 provided with snaced bind ally. eetin such a nosition as to be engaged ing posts 4 1-, 45, and 46. The signal or by the indicamwh n th r m t alarm device preferably used with m rises to deg: s, whilejthe contact arm tern, comprises an electric bell l? which 29 is set to be engaged by the indicator may be located at any desired distancd ffrom when the temperatnre falls to 100 degrees, the incubators-and which isnsually mount these being ordinarily considered safe limits ed at some convenient 111 the house of the owner. A switch 48 is also mounted near the bell, but in such a position as to i be readily accessible and this switch includes a supporting base 49 havin swing ingly mounted contact arms 50 an 51, the pivots of which form binding posts for the line wires, as will be later explained. lhe free ends of these contact "arms 50 and 51 are movable into and out of engagement with stationary contacts 52 and 53, respectively. These contacts 52 and 53 are connected by a conductor 54 and a conductor 55 preferably in the form of a wire, connects the conductor 54 with one of the binding posts 56 of the bell.

A wire 57 is connected by one end to the binding post 34 of the circuit closer A and by its opposite end to the binding post of the contact arm 50, being supported intermediate its-length by connection with the binding posts 45 of each of the base blocks 43. Another wire 58 is similarly connected between the binding post 33 of the circuit closer A and the binding post of the contact arm 51, its intermediate portion being supported by connection with the binding posts 44 of the blocks 43. A Wire 59 is connected by one end to the binding-post 3.5 of the circuit closer A and by its other end to one pole of a battery 60, this wire also being supported by connection with the bind- .ingposts 46 of the blocks 43. A wire 61 connects the opposite pole of the battery with the binding post 62 of the bell.

Wires 57, 58 and 59 connect the binding posts 34, 33, and 35 of the circuit closer B with the binding posts 44, 45 and 46 of the adjacent block 43, while similar wires 57", 58" and 59 connect the binding posts 34, 33 and 35 'of the circuit closer G with .the binding posts 44, 45 and 46 of the adjacent block 43.

In operation, assuming that the incubators containing the circuit closers A, B and C are all in use and that the indicators of the circuit closers are properly adjusted, if the temperature in any one of the incubators rises above the danger mark for which its circuit closer is set, a circuit will be closed jrom the battery 60 through the wire 59, and, if B or C are the circuit closers aii'ected through the wires 59 or 59- to the indicator arm of the circuit closer, through this arm, through the contact arm 28 of the circuit closer,- through the wires 58' or 58". to the wire 58 and through this wire to the contact 51 of the switch 49 passing from this switch through the wires 54 and 55 to the bell and from the bell through the wire 61 back tothe battery thus sounding the bell. On the other hand, if the temperature in any one orv more of the incubators falls be low thedanger point for which its circuit closure is set, a circuit will be closed in like mapner from the battery through the indicator arm of the circuit closer, through the contact arm 29 of the circuit closer, through the Wires 57.or 57" and the wire 57 to the contact 50 of the switch 49 passing from this switch through the wires 54' and 55 to the bell and from the bell through the wire 61 back to the battery, thus sounding the bell. It will therefore be apparent that if the temperature becomes either too high or too low in any one or more of the incubators installed in the system, the alarm will be sounded, or, in fact, if the temperature should become too high in one incubator and too low in another, the alarm would still be sounded. The owner or attendant upon hearing the'bell )asses at once to the switch 48 and swings ei her the contact arms 50 or 51 out of position. If u )on swinging the contact arm :10 out' of positioh the bell stops ringing, he at once knows that one or more of the incubators is too cold. On the other hand, if upon swinging the contact arm 51 out of position the bell stops ringing, he knows that one or more of the incubators is too hot. If the bell rings when the contact arm 50 is in position and the contact arm 51 is out of position, and also when the contact arm 50 is out of position and the contact arm 51 is in position, he knows that one or more of the incubators is overheated, While one or more of the remaining incubators is too co ld. He then throws both con- \tact arms out of position to save the battery and avoid continuous ringing of the hell and goes to attend to the incubators. A

I single glance at the'indicator of each of the circuit closers Will disclose which of the circuit closers is closed and whether it is closed because of too high a temperature or too low a temperature, and the heating system for that incubator may be adjusted ,to remedy the fault. In order to permit the immediate resetting of the system, in such a manner that it may give warning for the other incubators, while the incubator which has been adjusted is still too hot or too cold, because of not having had time enough to change its temperature, the attendant may place the strip of celluloid v27 between the blade of the indicator and that arm against which'it is engaging thus breaking the circuit. Upon returning to his station or house, he may then reset both the contact arms 50 and 51, the celluloid strip effectually breaking the circuit in that circuit-closer to which it is applied. v As soon however, as any of the other incubators get out ofo rder, the signal will be again given or if the circuit closer in the incubator, which has just been regulated should be operated to close the opposite circuit because of excessive regulation of the heating system, the alarm will be sounded. Moreover, as soon as the indicator arm of the circuit closer is moved out of engagement with the contact arm, the strip 27 will be released and will fell frorn'the in the incubator for the proper positioning of the invention.

of the entire circuit closer. For this reason I have provided circuit closers of slightly modified forms, one adapted for attachment to the. outer face of one side wall of the incubator and the other adapted for 'irttaclv ment to the outer face of the top of the incubator; These two forms are necessary es in some instances a continuous heating tanker drumextends across the top of the incubator, while in other cases the incubetor, about its sides, is -water jacketed or.

otherwise siiiit in. One-or the other of these threetiorms may any type oidncubatou nbw on the market.

That lilOilll of circuit chisel adapted for use upon the side o'f im incubator isrclea'rly illustrated in:.Fi-gs. d end 5 of the drawings and is substamtially the same as that previously described, the chief didercnce consisting inthe fact that thethermostet 12, instead of being supported as in the preferred form, is supported by one arm of a U-shaped bracket d5 which is carried by a sleeve 66 secured by one end to the opposite arm and through which e needle 67 of the thermostat extends, this needle being elongated to extendcompletely through the opposite end of the sleeve, which, in this case, is threaded into the opening 68 of the bracket 16 corresponding to the opening 17 of the same bracket in the preferred form The indicator arm 18 is adjusted'in the same manner with respect to the thermostat by the adjusting screw 22 and the remainder of the construction of the circuit closer is identical with that of the preferred form, with the exception that the counterweight 2425 of the preferred form is replaced by an arcuate rod 69 secured by one end through the shorter arm of the indicator and threaded at its opposite end to adjustably receive a nut 70, thls. arm extending substantially at right angles to the' indicator mm. In employing this form. of cirpuit closer, the sleeve 66 is passed outwardly through an opening formed inth wall 71 of the incubator end is threaded into the bracket 16 as shown in Fig". 4, the base of the circuit closer being secured to the outer face of the wall by brackets 72 corresponding to the bracket 40.

employed with textures That form of circuit clwer and indicating mechanism employed upon the top of the incubator isillustreted in Figs. 6 to 8 of the drewings nnd is almost identical construction with the forms prcviouslyfdescribed. In this case however, the bracket 1'6 carrying the indicator arm is mounted upon the bsse at right angles to the position which it occupies in the other form and the blade portion oi the indicetoriarm e'xl tends at ri htangles to the body portion es 1 shown at %3, the body portion being" provided' at one end with an adjustable nut 74 forming" a counterweight, this nut being threaded upon a screw 75. In this forrdof the invention, the thermostat l2 supported in a bracket 76, identical in conthe top wall of the incubator and being threaded into the base of the bracket '16,

While the needle ?8 of the thermostet extends through the sleeve with its upper see beyond the sums to be enguged by the ad- 2 'justing screw 79.

It will be clearly apparent that thejoperetion of all three forms of circuit closers ,iabove described is identical endv that the some system of wiring is used In 6- 9- however, I have illustrated, diegrammati celly,lthe wiring when the alarm is to be employed with a single incubator. In this wiring a conductor 80 connects the binding post 3% oi" the circuit closer with the contact arm 50 of the switch &8, e wire 81 connects the binding post 33 with the contact arm 51' and 2 wire 82 connects the binding 0st 3.? with one pole of the battery 60. i suesreminder of the'wiring is identical with that m5 shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and need not therefore be described.

in Fig. 8 i have illustrated- (im inent cslly the wiring of a system having two in; v cubators, this wiring being identicstl with n that shown in Fig, 2, with the exception that the blocks 43 are done away with, the lead wires from the circuit closer of. the interme- 1 diate incubator being spliced directly to the I this circuit closer may, by extreme y g 'f:

structural changes, he edapted'forfuse with any type of incubator nowon ihe merlret. It will further be apparent that by employing this type of circuit closer and the threcwire signaling system for which it is especially adapted, the usefulness end veins of the signaling system as a, whole is greatly en'- reaching the incubators the attendant. or

. Having owner can determine whether the alarm is caused by excessive heat or excessive cold.

Moreover, by utilizing onem'emben of the circuit closer as an indicator,- any-number of incubators .may be included in .the sanie system and the attendant may readily'determine which incubator needs attention by merely glancing at the indicator arm of its circuit closer. Furthermore, whenonce installed, absolutely no adjustment or regulation of the circuit closer or thermostat thereof is required, the only possible manipulation being the changing, as desired, of the danger points at which the alarm. is to be given, this being accomplished simply by swinging one or theother of the contact arms 28 and 29 of the circuit closer over the scale.

thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: a

1. In incubator alarms, a circuit closer including -a base, spaced brackets carried by the base, a thermostat carried by one of the brackets, a needle carried by said"therrnostat and. extending through the other bracket, Qan indicator arm 'pivoted in said v latter bracket; a counter-weight carried by the arm and normally holding the same in engagement ,with the needle, and contact arms adjustable toward and; away from the indicator arm., i

2. In incubator alarms, a circuit closer including base, brackets carried by the base, thermostat carried by one of the I Tbrackets, a needle carried by the thermostatand extending through the other bracket, an indicator arm pivoted in said latter bracket,

an adjusting screw threaded through said arm and in a-liiiement with the needle, a counterweight carried by the arm and normally holding the same with its set screw in engagement with the needle, and contacts adapted tobe engaged bythe arm upon swinging movement thereof. v

3. In incubator alarms, a circuit closure including a base, spaced brackets carried by the base and arranged one above the other,=a thermostat carried by the lower bracket, a needle carried by the thermostat and extending through an opening in the upper-bracket, an indicator arm pivotally supported by the upper bracket an adjusting screw threaded through said firm and in alinement with the needle, a counter wei'gh't carried by the arm and normally holding.

the same with its set screw in engagement with the needle and contacts adapted to be engaged by the arm on swinging movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PERRY S. MARTIN.

Witnesses C. E. DONSON, 1 A. J. NEFF. 

